Category Archives: World Design Capital

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 10 June

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*  Globally spirit sales barely grew in 2013, after a growth of 6,5% between 2007 – 2011. Vodka is the largest selling spirit category, at 496 million cases.  Whisky/whiskey sales grew the fastest, and stand at 361 million cases. Rum sales were 146 million, a decrease on the year prior.  Whilst the largest market for spirits is Asia, at 1,9 billion cases, growth was minimal.

*   More than 70 World Design Capital 2014 projects are on display in the Civic Centre as the project reaches its halfway mark, reports the Cape Times.  The projects on display include the MyCiTi Bus, Green Point Urban Park, and the Buitengracht Pedestrian Bridge.  There is no entrance fee to view the display, which runs until the end of this year.

*   Millennials will be the travelers of the future, being the biggest tourism spenders in the next 5 – 10 years, and already Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 1 July

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Professor Russel Botman, Rector of the University of Stellenbosch and Chairman of the Board of Cape Town Design NPC, the company which is administering Cape Town’s hosting of World Design Capital, has passed away.

*   ‘Enter the Ninja‘ by Die Antwoord, one of South Africa’s most successful groups, stars in the TV commercial for Dior Addict.   Lien Botha has written an interesting evaluation of the use of Die Antwoord’s music in the commercial, based on a collage of different views.

*   MyCiTi Bus fares increase today, the minimum cost being R 4,80 and the maximum peak fare being R8,90, both for a 5 km distance on a Mover package, now seemingly charged on a distance basis.  The MyConnect card cost increases from R25 to R35, a 40% increase!  The City of Cape Town media release states that every effort has been made to contain the rate increase, Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 19 May

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The Dutch government is sponsoring World Design Capital 2014 with a R4,5 million investment through the ‘Department of Design’ event, to be held at Provenance Auction House in Vrede Street in Cape Town from 8 – 27 July.  A Dutch economic trade mission will visit Cape Town and the event, which consists of workshops, presentations, debates, and activity relating to sustainability, focusing on water management, transport and logistics, agriculture and farming, health and science, and the creative industries in particular.

*   R4,7 million has been spent to upgrade the facilities of the Department of Home Affairs’ passport control counter at Cape Town International, in the interest of improved service, reports The New Age.  Passport control has been moved closer to the Duty Free section of the airport.  An automated queuing system with turnstiles has been introduced.

*   Start-up Cape Town company Over has won first prize in the U-Start Conference in Milan, its app allowing one to place text and artwork over photographs. The app has been downloaded 8 million times since it was developed in 2012.  Western Cape Minister Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 8 May

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*  The New York Times has listed Cape Town as its number one ‘52 Places to go in 2014′.  Cape Town is linked to the late Nelson Mandela, and how Table Mountain was his beacon of hope. World Design Capital 2014 is also highlighted.  ‘Cape Town is again reinventing itself, and the world is invited to its renaissance’.  The other top ten Places to Go are Christchurch, North Coast in California, Albanian coast, Downtown Los Angeles, Namibia, Ecuador, Quang Binh in Vietnam, Perth, and Rotterdam.

*   In a surprise move, the City of Cape Town and Golden Arrow Bus Services have signed two memorandums of understanding, agreeing to work together, in the bus company will form part of the MyCiTi Bus service, utilising the City’s bus company branding, and having a common integrated schedule.  In the past the Golden Arrow Bus Services has taken the City of Cape Town to court.

*   An American property site’s vacation page recommends Cape Town as one of ten destinations around the world in which to celebrate Mother’s Day!  In Cape Town they recommend going up Table Mountain, visiting the V&A Waterfront, Cape Point, having a picnic on the False Bay coastline, and having dinner at any of the city’s ‘great Continue reading →